This invention relates primarily to mixing boards for the mixing of compounds such as plastic filler material and bumper repair material commonly used in auto body repairs; spackling paste, joint compound, plaster, mortar and the like used in general construction; paints, sculpting materials and the like used in artists' work, and more particularly to a novel mixing board apparatus that provides a stable base upon which to mix a compound while also providing a conveniently portable base platform for conveniently carrying and holding the mixed compound as it is used, the mixing board further providing an instantly renewable surface which completely eliminates the time and effort of cleaning between uses.
Mixing boards of the type which utilize replaceable or easy to clean mixing surfaces have been provided heretofore as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,137,482; 1,952,375; 2,369,898; and 3,734,486. The first patent above discloses an amalgam mixing board configured to address the problem of mercurial poisoning of a dental technician and oxidation contamination of the amalgam during its amalgamation process. Since its use in dental offices involves the mixing of very small amounts of materials immediately adjacent the patient where the amalgam is to be used, the reference construction is structurally inappropriate for the uses described above, in which materials are used in sizeable quantities, are themselves considerably heavy and bulky, and must be carried to car bodies, walls, etc., and held constantly during their application.
The remaining three references, all disclosing stationary mixing boards, provide mechanical structure to accommodate the renewing of the mixing surface. However, in all cases the mixing board surface is not separable from the base surface and configured for portability of the mixed product as it remains on the mixing board surface. Accordingly, the compounds, once mixed, must be removed from the mixing board and placed on a carrier which is then taken to the site where the compound is to be applied. Although the mixing board apparatus disclosed in the references employ renewable surfaces, to eliminate the necessity of cleaning, they all require a separate, undisclosed carrying device which itself must be cleaned between each use. Accordingly, there is a need experienced in the art which provides a renewable surface mixing board apparatus which avoids the complicated and weight-adding mechanics involved in previous devices and further avoids the requirement of a separate carrier for the mixed compound as it is used.